1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a polycarbonate process comprising contacting in the presence of a base, a .beta.-fluoroaliphatic carbonate and a polyfunctional hydroxy compound selected from alcohols and/or phenols.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, the prior art including The Encyclopedia of Polymer Science, Vol. 10 (1969), Chemistry and Physics of Polycarbonates, Polymer Reviews, H. Schnell, Vol. 9, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (1964) reports that transesterification of aliphatic hydroxy compounds with carbonic acid aliphatic or aromatic diesters occurs readily in the presence of a basic catalyst and is a convenient method of synthesis of higher carbonates. Heretofore, to the best of our knowledge, the efficient transesterification of a polyfunctional phenol with a carbonic acid aliphatic diester in the substantial absence of undesirable side reactions has not been reported.
Unaccountably and nonanalogous with the practice of this invention, transesterification of a polyfunctional phenol with a carbonic acid .beta.-fluoroaliphatic diester occurs, whereas transesterification with a chloroaliphatic diester does not occur.
Further, unexpectedly when a phenolic reactant and a bis(.beta.-fluoroaliphatic) carbonate, also commonly referred to as a carbonic acid aliphatic diester, is contacted in the presence of a base, ester interchange (also commonly referred to as re-, trans- or inter-esterification) occurs resulting in the formation of an aromatic polycarbonate and a .beta.-fluoroaliphatic alcohol. Generally and further unexpectedly, only small amounts of carbonic acid aliphatic-aromatic mixed diester is associated with the isolated aromatic polycarbonate reaction products.